
Behind the scenes of Te Taiao | Nature
See how we made Te Taiao | Nature through a series of behind the scenes videos and articles.
Free museum entry for New Zealanders and people living in New Zealand
Open every day 10am-6pm
(except Christmas Day)
Free museum entry for New Zealanders and people living in New Zealand
See how we made Te Taiao | Nature through a series of behind the scenes videos and articles.
A single specimen of toromiro – a close relative of our own kōwhai and extinct in the wild – has been discovered in our botany collection, where it’s been kept safe for 150 years.
Would you have the patience to spend 10 years trying to find something practically invisible? Botanist Carlos Lehnebach recently discovered his ‘holy grail’ – a collection of tiny ghost orchids in the Wellington region.
Conservator Robert Clendon takes us through the conservation techniques he’s using on some of the international material in our collections – two Greek objects around 2,500 years old, and a 1894 copy of the famous Portland Vase.
A steampunk Pokémon sea dragon, mutant whales, and a sabre-toothed devil bunny of the Aztecs. Librarian Martin Lewis (aka @RareBookGuy) presents his favourite curious creatures while researching this month.
The opening of Oceania sees 500 years of Pacific art take centre-stage at the Royal Academy in London. With six objects from our collection featuring in the exhibition, Collection Manager Shane James provides a glimpse into how some of the Pacific’s most revered taonga made their way to London.
Conservator Paintings Linda Waters writes about what the back of a painting can tell you.
Te Papa is always looking for creative ways to promote te reo Māori. What are some of the ways we’re doing that?
Conservator Nirmala Balram talks through the process in stabilising a fragile poutokomanawa (centre post) called Rongotueruora, affectionately known as ‘Iron Man’ due to his iron shoulder pads and rāpaki (skirt).
Would you be surprised to see natural history specimens stored in colourful vintage cigarette packets? Curator Alan Tennyson and conservator Robert Clendon shed light on past practice.
Art collection manager Anna Brookes shares with us what she gets up to day to day and her tips for getting into the industry.
On 14 Nov 2016 an earthquake registering 7.8 on the Richter scale shook Wellington awake. All-in-all Te Papa’s buildings and its collection were virtually unscathed. Out of over two million collection objects, only nine were damaged.
Our Research Librarian Martin Lewis, aka @RareBookGuy, takes a look at some of the more unusual questions he has received on tours of the Te Papa library collection.
New technology is making it easier than ever to offer everyone a glimpse behind the scenes at Te Papa. Come back of house with us and see the collections that are usually hidden away.
Watch as Wētā Workshop and Te Papa combine the worlds of movies, model-making, and museums to create an exhibition like no other.
Research Librarian, Martin Lewis, explains why he’s been losing his marbles over marbling…
See the incredible bugs starring in Bug Lab come to life.
Go behind the scenes at Te Papa and discover some of our lesser known secrets.
Mark Stocker, Curator Historical International Art, shows how to use museum quake wax to protect your taonga at home.